Cultivating Patience
Abiding as Patience
Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing.
- John 15:4–5
When I (Gary) was in Spain a few years ago, I became fascinated with “old growth vineyards.” I learned that some of the grapevine trunks I saw there were well over 70 years old. I honestly didn’t know grapevines could live that long!
After I got back home, I happened to find an interview with a vineyard owner from one of the wine regions I had walked through. When asked about his own growing philosophy he said, “If you want a productive vine in 80 years, you need to plant it now. You also have to have a plan to take care of it beyond your lifetime. Every day you tend the newly planted vine, you are making wine for a generation you will never know, because you are tending the vine’s potential. Those future generations will reap the fruit of your labor, just as you’ve enjoyed the wine from the vines you did not plant, did not tend, and did not harvest. Make no mistake, the future always arrives suddenly, one day at a time.”
Now, I’m not sure the vineyard owner would use the word “abide” to describe his work, but I believe he is embodying something of what it means to do just that. He is also embodying patience.
Perhaps the Good News we need to hear is that abiding in Jesus is where patience really begins. So, abide with abandon. Practice patient persistence. Plant a few seeds for eternity. And remember: “the future always arrives suddenly, one day at a time.”
Making it Personal: What are some practices you could implement in your daily life to help you learn to abide? How would your cultivation of patience benefit from a bit more patience with yourself?
Listen To Our Lent Podcast Episodes
We also invite you to listen to the Living Compass Spirituality and Wellness Podcast hosted by Scott Stoner. This is a year-round, weekly podcast; however, during Lent, there will be two new episodes each week to enrich your experience of our Lenten readings on Cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit.
You can listen to the podcast on our website by clicking HERE. You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast listening app (Apple, Google, Spotify, etc.)—just search for Living Compass Spirituality and Wellness